Not Just Garbage and Leaves (Submission Centrepost Sept 2014)

As news spreads about fall cleanup cancellation, hundreds of calls and emails are arriving. There

are a number of reasons why this service and the November leaf collection have been cut. I'd

like to cover some of these reasons and link the lack of fall cleanup to the need for us to consider

changes in municipal government.

Valley Waste is experiencing decreased revenues and increased costs (for example, lower prices

paid for recyclables on the open market and higher gas prices). Add economic hardship at some

of its municipal units, a uniform decline over many years in provincial funds to all seven waste

authorities and the crunch was on.

Plugs were pulled that would cause the least long term disruption. After staff reductions

and other less noticeable items, fall cleanup was reluctantly axed for 2014. The Town of

Hantsport was struggling, but other units also had to argue against keeping the fall cleanup

to balance their budgets.

We do get great value for our tax buck at Valley Waste. It's similar in format to other

provincially mandated authorities across Nova Scotia but consistently outranks the others

in performance. In fact, Valley Waste's Management Team and staff have provided more

at less cost during many years of services to over 40,000 households.

Centreville residents who point out that cancelling fall cleanup may have unwanted

results, including illegal dumping, are right on the money. Savings may not be as large as

expected especially if the volume of spring cleanup becomes greater causing costs to

escalate. Pitfalls were considered and are being watched to determine if any of the

changes made this year should become permanent or not.

It's not just what to do with the extras in our garages, basements or cupboards that may draw our

attention before long. The more significant issues are economic decline and outward bound youth

and families.

Change is here. Welcome or not. What we are experiencing at Valley Waste

demonstrates that counties and towns aren't islands unto themselves. What happens

down the road doesn't stop at a town or county border.

Recently, Pictou County, the Town of Pictou and the Town of New Glasgow announced

their plan to be one regional government by election time in 2016. There, a Warden and

two Mayors are planning their own replacement by one Regional Mayor. With “Now or

Never” as their rally call, they've issued an open invitation to the Towns of Stellarton,

Westville and Trenton to join them.

Here consideration of a Regional Government made a brief appearance at the Kings

Partnership Steering Committee. In the face of a reluctant Warden and Mayors it was

dropped in favour of sharing more services between cooperating but independent

municipalities. The 2050 initiative is set to launch a regional service review during the

years ahead especially if all councils show interest in sharing planning services.

Does the pending dissolution of valley towns like Hantsport and Bridgetown indicate

urgency and a need for more than change on the shared services front?

Could reducing layers of government, as Pictou plans to do by 2016, help prevent the

loss of young families, encourage more business development, and create a stronger tax

base?

Can we afford to continue spending tax dollars on duplicate administrations or must that

stop, and quickly, now that cracks are showing?

As always, I'd be pleased if any fact or opinion shared with you in this column produces

debate, opposing views or direction. I welcome your call at 902­670­2949.